Hand-brake for railway-cars.



W. M. DWYER.

HAND BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS. APPLlCATION FILED sPT-.8.191s.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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Wm M Dwyer W1 TNESSES:

ATTORNEY W. M. DWYER. HAND BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

2 SHEETSSHEE[ 2.

Zfl k3 4/ f INVENTOR. WITNESSES. W ZMznMewyer @m \QQATTORNEY WILLIAM M. DWYER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. MINER, or

' CHAZY, NEW YORK.

HAND-BRAKE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

M. DWYER,

This invention relates to improvements in hand brakes for railway cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a hand operated brake for railway cars and one more particularly designed for application to the end walls of baggage and mail cars and wherein the brake is so designed that it can be operated with equal facility from either the inside or outside of the car.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a type above indicated which avoids the necessity of a foot operated locking pawl whereby the operator is permitted to use one hand in supporting himself on the car while actuating the brake;

The invention furthermore consists in the improvements in the parts and devices and in the novel combinations of the parts and devices herein shown, described or claimed. In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an end elevation of a portion of a mail or baggage car showing my improvements in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, upon an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views taken on the lines 3-3 and 44, respectively, of Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5

is a sectional view taken on the line 5 -5.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of Fig. 3. And of one of the links by which the operating handle is supported.

In said drawing, the end 'wall of the baggage or mail car is shown as havingan outer sheathing 10 and an inner sheathin 11 spaced therefrom. Mounted on said end wall of the car is the improved hand brake,

the latter consisting on the outside of the 7 car wall of a plate 12, outer casing 13, winding shaft or drum 14, and ratchet mechanism hereinafter described. On the inslde of the car, a simllar arrangement is pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

and exact description,.

hand brake of the Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

Application filed September 8, 1916. Serial No. 118,966.

vided, the same consisting of a plate 112, outer casing 113, and suitable ratchet mechanism. On the outside of the car wall, the shaft or winding drum 14 for the chain 15, is supported at its outer end in a suitable bearing 16 in the casing 13. The casing 13 is provided with a partition 17 on one side of which the chain winding portion of the shaft 14 is located and on the other side of which is the ratchet mechanism. The shaft 14, in the plane of said partition 17, is provided with an annular flange 18 from which extends an integral lug 39 to which the upper end of the chain 15 is adapted to be attached. On the other side of'said partition 17, the winding shaft 14 has rigidly secured thereon a ratchet wheel 19, the inner end of the shaft 14 being mounted in a suitable bearing 20 formed in the plate 12..

iposely and rotatably mounted on the shaft on is a link 21, the latter at its lower end being provided with an integral pin 22 on which is pivotally mounted the operating handle 23. The operating handle 23 is-provided at its upper end with a pawl 24 which is normally out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 19 but adapted to engage the latter upon swinging the handle 23 in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 3. Said lever or handle 23 is also provided with a curved extension 25 which, when the handle is swung to engage the pawl with the ratchet wheel, slides within the shell or casing 13. Normally the handle 23 hangs downwardly under theinfluence of gravity and with the pawl 24 in inoperative position. The link 21 is provided with a shoulder 26 and the handle 23 with a cotiperating shoulder 27 to insure the proper position of the parts when the operating handle is released. To hold the ratchet wheel 19 when the chain is being tightened, a gravity actuated locking dog 28 is provided, the same having a tooth 29 adapted to engage the ratchet wheel. Said dog 28 is provided with a hub 30 (see Fig. 5) which is rotatably mounted in a suitable recess provided in the plate 12.

One the inner side of the car wall, a similar pawl and ratchet mechanism is provided consisting of a ratchet wheel 119, depending swinging link 121, operating handle 123,

the latter having a tooth 124 to engage with the inner side of the ratchet wheel 19,

inner side of the casing 113. The ratchet wheel 119 has preferably cast integrally therewith, a sleeve or bushing 114, the latter extending outwardly and forming a sliding or telescoping fit with the extension 214 of the shaft 14. The extension 214 is shown as of squared cross section and the interior of the sleeve 114 is correspondingly shaped so that rotation of either will cause the rotation of the other. By means of the telescoping arrangement described, it isapparent that the brake is adapted for application to car walls of different thicknesses.

N 0 locking dog is provided for cotiperation with the ratchet wheel 119. In order to efiect the release of the locking dog 28 from the interior of the car, the hub 30 of said dog 28 is provided with an extension 120 which passes through the end wall of the car and has mounted thereon, a hand lever 128, the latter being provided with a suitable hub 129 rotatably mounted in a corresponding opening in the plate 112. The extension 120 is pinned, or otherwise suitably rigidly secured to the hub 30 and is telescoped or slidably mounted within the hub 129. The extension 120 is of square or of other polygonal cross section and the hub,

129 is correspondingly recessed so that both will rotate in unison. With this arrangement, it is apparent that adjustment is provided for different thicknesses of wall by means of the sliding connection 120 and the hub 129. I

At suitably spacedpoints around the peripheries of the plates 12 and 112 and the casings 13 and 113 are provided ears 41, 41 suitably perforated to receive bolts 42, 42, the latter extending through both plates and casings and through the wall of the car.

In operation, it is apparent that the chain 15 may be tightened by actuating either of the handles 23 or 123, the winding operation being effectedifstep by step by means of the pawl and ratchet construction. The rav- "ity actuated pawl 28 will hold the chain in any tightened position, and in order to release the chain, the same is efi'ected by either the dog 28 on the outside of the car or the handle 128 on the inside of the car, as will be apparent from the preceding description considered in connection with the drawings.

By providing the telescope arrangement 114 and 214, and the sliding engagement between the extension 120 and hub 129, the brake is adapted for walls of different thicknesses without necessitating any changes within the casings or in the pawl and ratchet elements. It is obvious that bolts 42 of the proper length will be used for the varying thicknesses of end wall.

From the preceding description, it will be seen that the operator employs one hand only in operating the brake from either the inside or outside of the car and can employ his other hand in steadying himself and furthermore does not have to use either of his feet in controlling a locking dog. The levers also provide greater leverage than has heretofore been customary where hand wheels have been employed. Another advantage of the pawl and ratchet and locking dog arrangement shown is, that the operator may at any time ease off the chain without entirely loosening the latter. This is done by the operator grasping the operating handle and engaging the pawl thereof with the ratchet wheel and at the same time disengaging the locking dog from the ratchet wheel. The operator necessary distance and then permit the looking dog to come into engagement with the ratchet wheel. It is, of course, obvious that this operation can be performed with equal facility on either the inside or outside of the car.

I claim 1. In a hand brake for cars and the like adapted to be operated from either side of a wall, the combination with a winding drum, a swinging lever, means interposed between said'lever and the drum for rotating the latter upon oscillation of the lever, of an axially adjustable extension from said drum adapted to pass through a wall, and means associated with the end of said extension for rotating the latter on the opposite side of the wall.

2. In a hand brake for cars and the like adapted to be operated from either side of a wall, the combination drum having an axially adjustable extension adapted to pass through the wall of a car, of two sets of independently operable pawl and ratchet mechanisms for rotating the drum, one of said mechanisms being located on the outlside and the other on the inside of the wa l.

3. In a hand brake for cars and the like adapted to be operated from either side of a wall, the combination with awinding drum having an axially adjustable extension adapted to pass through the wall of a car, of two sets of independently operable pawl and ratchet mechanisms drum, one of said mechanisms bein located on the outside and the other on the inside of the wall, each of said mechanisms including a ratchet wheel, a swinging link, and a lever pivotally suspended from said link, the lever having a pawl engageable with the ratchet.

4. In a hand brake for cars and the like adapted to be operated from either side of a wall, the combination with a winding drum located on one side of the wall and having an extension passing through the wall, of two sets of independently operable pawl and with a winding 111s for rotating the ratchet mechanisms for rotating said drum,

' wheel, a locking dog one adapted to be located on the outside and the other on the inside of the wall, each pawl and ratc'het mechanismincluding a ratchet associated with one of said ratchet wheels, and a pair of -handles,. one on the outside and the other on the inside of the wall for disengaging said dog I from the ratchet wheeL. a

- 5. Ina hand brake for: cars and the like adapted to be operated from either side of.

a 'wall, the combination with a winding drum having an axially adjustable extension adaptedvto pass through the wall of a car, of two sets of independently operable pawl and ratchet mechanisms for rotating the. drum, one of said mechanisms being located on the outside and the other on the inside of the wall, each of said mechanisms including a ratchet wheel, a swinging link, and a lever, pivotally suspended from said link, the lever havin a pawl engageable with the ratchet, a locking dog associated with one of said ratchet wheels, a pair of hand levers, one on the inside and the other on the outside of the wall for actuating said dog, and adjustable connections between said handles to thereby adapt the brake for walls of different thicknesses.

6. In a hand brake for cars and the like adapted to be operated from either side of a wall, the combination with a chain tightening element, of pawl and ratchet mechanism on the outside of the car adapted to actuate said element, a pawl and ratchet mechanism and so arranged that actuation of either pawl and ratchet mechanism to the other.

7. In a brake of the character described, the combination with a pair of hollow casings, one arranged to be secured to one side of a wall and the other to the opposite side ;of the wall, a chain tightening element mounted in one. of said casings, an adjust able extension adapted to pass through wall into the other casing, and two sets of pawl and ratchet mechanisms for actuating said element, one being located in one casing and the other in the other casing.

8. In a brake of the character described, the combination with a chain winding drum, a telescoped extension from said drum, a ratchet wheel secured to said drum, a ratchet wheel secured to one member of the telescoped extension,

an operating handle having a pawl associated with each of said ratchet wheels, a gravity controlled locking dog associated with one of the ratchet wheels, an extension from said locking pawl, and a handle mounted on said extension, the handle and extension being relatively slidable.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of Sept. 1916.

' WILLIAM M. DWYER.

the,"

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